Bachelor of Arts in World Religions

The Bachelor of Arts in World Religions prepares students to understand and interact with a diverse world in a Christian university environment. Students will study the worldviews, literature and cultural context of the major religions and religious movements around the world and increasingly found in the U.S.

Learning about the world’s religions will take you beyond the classroom, as you will have the opportunity to gain firsthand experience through study-abroad trips and visits to religious sites in the area. You will prepare for your journey and supplement your discoveries with classroom exploration of the historical development, sacred texts and views of the major religions around the world. In the process, you will also discover how religious beliefs, practices and cultural environments impact world events in almost every possible profession.

A degree in World Religions offers you preparation for careers in missions, chaplaincy, diplomatic work, journalism, etc. Graduates of the Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy often go on to careers as:

ministers

counselors

nonprofit organization leaders

college or seminary professors

The degree also prepares you for further studies at the graduate level. Department graduates have gone on to obtain graduate degrees at universities including Baylor, Duke, Harvard, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest. Others have stayed at Gardner-Webb to pursue degrees offered at the University, including various concentrations in the Master of Arts in Religion, the Master of Divinity, and the Doctor of Ministry.

In addition to the University’s General Education and prerequisite course requirements, World Religions majors are required to take nine hours of foundational course choices in philosophy, spiritual formation, Christian history and theology. The World Religions major also includes 21 hours of concentrated coursework, six hours of departmental electives, and a three-hour seminar. Students must also take RELI 245 as part of Global Heritage General Education requirements.

Additional information, including descriptions of specific courses and their corresponding credit hours, is available in the Academic Catalog.

A minor in World Religions includes 15 hours of coursework, includes an exploration of the religions of India, China and Japan. The minor also includes a study of Judaism, Islam and Contemporary Religious Movements. Students must also take RELI 245 as part of a Global Heritage General Education requirement.